Chapter 0346

The room is empty when I arrive. Victor hasn't returned yet. I peel off my clothes, desperate to wash away the day's grime. Slipping into one of his oversized shirts, I curl up in bed, mentally preparing for tomorrow's Alpha challenge.

My thoughts drift to Victor's possible anxiety when the door creaks open. Before I can speak, his hands are on me, his lips silencing all thoughts. The night dissolves into passion, his touch erasing every worry.

Dawn comes too soon. I feel Victor stirring beside me. "Nervous?" I whisper the question that's been haunting me.

"Not exactly." His fingers trace patterns on my arm. "But defeat is always possible. Leopold mentioned only one real threat - Donovan, that warrior you met yesterday."

"He's challenging you?"

"Yes. And he's got the skills. Strong. Beta bloodline. If he wins fairly, I'll accept it. The others? Not so much."

"How many others?" I imagine a small group.

"Five. Including that bastard Alistair from our first day."

My stomach twists. "How many will fight to the death?" The words taste bitter. Victor may be confident, but killing packmates isn't easy.

"Hard to say. But Alistair? Definitely."

We dress in silence. Victor chooses flexible combat gear while I opt for leggings and a tank top - ready to move if needed.

His arms suddenly encircle me from behind, chin resting on my shoulder. "You know you can't interfere today, right?"

"Like hell I won't." My voice cracks. "If saving you means leaving this pack, so be it. Aurora and I won't watch you die."

"Hopefully it won't come to that. But these are my fights to win."

"Fine for submission battles. But if it's to the death and you're losing?" I turn in his embrace. "I won't hesitate."

"Isolde..."

"No!" My shout echoes. "Don't ask that of me. Aurora says it's in our blood - the Moon Goddess made us this way. I won't kill them, but I won't let them kill you either."

He exhales sharply. "Alright. Let's face the day."

Breakfast is a funeral compared to last night's feast. Whispered speculations about the challenge fill the air. The entire pack gathers outside afterward, tension thick as fog.

Leopold oversees the proceedings. The first challenger demands a submission match. Victor defeats him swiftly. The second lasts longer - nearly forty-five minutes of grappling before yielding.

Then Alistair steps forward. "To the death," he declares.

Victor's jaw tightens. "You're certain?"

Alistair's smirk makes my skin crawl. "Absolutely. And know this, Alpha," he drawls, eyes raking over me, "when I kill you, I'll claim your mate as mine."

Victor's growl shakes the ground. Alistair merely grins. Leopold signals the start.

Unlike before, Victor attacks first. Alistair's taunt has unleashed something primal. To my surprise, Alistair holds his own, dodging more than striking but staying dangerous.

'He's too close,' Aurora warns seconds before Alistair lunges - not at Victor, but at me. His grip is iron, one hand fisted in my hair, the other crushing my waist.

"Or maybe I'll mark her now," he breathes against my neck, "make her MY Guardian."